1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure is generally directed to engineered abrasive products and methods related to the polishing and finishing of surfaces including natural and synthetic substrates, such as metal, ceramic, wood, polymeric, glass, and stone.
2. Description of the Related Art
Abrasive products, such as engineered coated abrasive products, are used in various industries to abrade work pieces, such as by lapping, grinding, or polishing. Surface processing using engineered coated abrasives spans a wide industrial and consumer scope from optics industries to metal fabrication industries. Effective and efficient fine polishing of surfaces, particularly metal, glass, ceramic, stone, and coated surfaces poses numerous challenges.
Surface characteristics, such as surface roughness and surface uniformity can influence the appearance, performance and longevity of a workpiece. In particular, surface characteristics, such as surface roughness, gloss, and lack of surface imperfections can be measured to determine surface quality. For example, Mill rolls and engine components rely on metal surfaces that have been precision polished to achieve proper performance and efficiency.
Typically, any defects in a surface are removed by first abrading with a coarse grain abrasive, followed by subsequently abrading with progressively finer grain abrasives until a desired smoothness (i.e., acceptable roughness) is achieved. Hence, the properties of the abrasive product used will generally influence the surface quality.
In addition to surface characteristics, industries are sensitive to cost related to abrasive operations. Factors influencing operational costs include the speed at which a surface can be prepared and the cost of the materials used to prepare that surface. Typically, industry seeks cost effective materials having high material removal rates. However, abrasives that exhibit high removal rates often also exhibit poor performance in achieving desirable surface characteristics. Conversely, abrasives that produce desirable surface characteristics often times have low material removal rates. For this reason, preparation of a surface is often a multi-step process using various grades of abrasives. Typically, surface flaws (e.g., scratches) introduced by one step are repaired (e.g., removed) using progressively finer grain abrasives in one or more subsequent steps. Therefore, abrasives that introduce scratches and surface flaws result in increased time, effort, and expenditure of materials in subsequent processing steps and an overall increase in total processing costs.
An additional factor affecting material removal rate and surface quality is the “loading” of the abrasive with “swarf”, i.e., the material that is abraded from the workpiece surface, which tends to accumulate on the surface of, and between, the abrasive particles. Loading is undesirable because it typically reduces the effectiveness of the abrasive product and can also negatively affect surface characteristics by increasing the likelihood of scratching defects.
Surface characteristics and material removal rate can also be affected by the durability of the abrasive product. Abrasive products that wear easily or lose abrasive grains can exhibit both a low material removal rate and can cause surface defects. Rapid wear on the abrasive product can lead to a reduction in material removal rate, resulting in time lost for frequent exchanging of the abrasive product and increased waste associated with discarded abrasive product.
There continues to be a demand for improved, cost effective, abrasive products, processes, and systems that promote efficient abrasion and improved surface characteristics.
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.